In many industries, manufactured products are commonly shipped to a wholesaler, who in turn must ship the products to a retailer for subsequent sale. For the convenience of the retailer, the wholesaler often includes pre-printed price tags for the individual items contained with the shipping carton, which are removed and applied to each of the individual items within the package by the retailer, pressure sensitive adhesive on the price tags adhering them to the individual items. When this system was first used, typically the price tags were provided on a separate sheet which was disposed within the shipping carton. Then the art advanced to provide the price tags as part of the shipping label, and typically the price tags--with a release liner still backing them--were folded in one or more dimensions and tucked under the body of the shipping label for subsequent removal by the retailer, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,993,814, 4,028,824, 4,110,502, 4,446,182, 4,927,179, 5,031,939, and 5,203,851. While this technique was commercially successful, it is disadvantageous during initial application of the labels to the cartons to have to fold up the labels, typically being a time and labor consuming process. Another alternative that has been proposed, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,910,058 and 4,983,438, is to provide the price tags on a separate part of the shipping label, over a common release sheet which adds adhesive on the back of it which is connected to a carton; while this avoids the trouble and expense of folding up the price tag portion, it requires an additional adhesive coated ply, which may not be cost justified in some circumstances, and producing additional waste.
According to the present invention, a shipping-price tag label is provided which overcomes the drawbacks associated with the prior art as discussed above. The label according to the present invention, when applied to a carton, is only one ply in thickness over the majority of the area thereof, except for the price tag portions which have the release sheet between them and the carton exterior. The price tags are substantially flush with the shipping label, being surrounded by the shipping label approximately 270.degree. around the perimeter thereof, yet are readily accessible and detachable from the shipping label for application to the individual articles within the package once the package is opened by the retailer.
According to one aspect of the present invention a shipping-price tag label is provided comprising the following elements: A first ply having a generally quadrate configuration, substantially parallel first and second edges, substantially parallel third and fourth edges, said third and fourth edges substantially perpendicular to the first and second edges, and first and second faces. Pressure sensitive adhesive substantially completely coveting the second face of the first ply. A substantially quadrate second ply having first and second substantially parallel edges, substantially parallel third and fourth edges, the third and fourth edges substantially perpendicular to the first and second edges, and first and second faces. The first through fourth edges of the first ply being longer than the first through fourth edges, respectively, of the second ply. The second ply first face having release material, and in engagement with the adhesive on the first ply second face, and readily releasable therefrom. The second ply positioned with respect to the first ply so that the first and second edges of the second ply are between and substantially parallel to the first and second edges of the first ply, and so that the third edge of the second ply is between the third and fourth edges of the first ply. And, the first ply having a price tag portion thereof overlying the second ply, the price tag portion comprising a plurality of individual price tags, each individually removable from the second ply and the rest of the first ply, and disposed in at least one row or column; and the first ply having a shipping label portion which does not overly the second ply.
The fourth edge of the second ply is typically on the opposite side of the fourth edge of the first ply from the third edge of the first ply, thereby forming a tab. The tab may be readily grasped to facilitate detachment of the price tags and at least a majority of the second ply from the shipping label portion of the first ply. First, second and third lines of weakness are typically formed on a second ply parallel to and adjacent the first, second and third edges, respectively of the second ply, defining a first area. The price tag overlies the first area of the second ply. The first and second lines of weakness intersect the fourth edge of the first ply, but not the fourth edge of the second ply so as to maintain integrity during feeding through a printer. The first through third lines of weakness cooperate with the tab to allow detachment of the price tags and the first area of the second ply from the shipping label portion of the first ply.
Price indicia is typically imaged on the first face of each of the price tags of the first ply, and shipping indicia is imaged on the shipping label portion of the first ply first face. Bar code indicia may be imaged on the shipping label portion of the first ply first face as part of the shipping indicia.
The invention, according to another aspect thereof, also comprises a web of shipping-price tag labels, comprising: A first ply having first and second faces, the second face having pressure sensitive adhesive on at least a majority thereof. A second ply having first and second faces, the first face having release material thereon, readily releasable from the pressure sensitive adhesive, and the first face in engagement with the adhesive of the second face of the first ply. The first and second plies each having substantially parallel first and second side edges, said side edges also substantially parallel to each other. A plurality of die cuts extending across the web substantially perpendicular to the side edges separating the first ply into a plurality of different shipping-price tag labels. A generally C-shaped die cut formed in the second ply underneath each of the shipping-price tag labels, opening adjacent the first side edge of the second ply, having first, second and third edges, and defining an inner area. A grid of die cuts formed in the first ply within a projection of the inner area of the C-shaped die cut of each of the shipping-price tag labels, defining at least one row or column of price tags. And, first, second and third lines of weakness formed in the second ply within the inner area of each of the C-shaped die cuts, and substantially parallel and adjacent to the first through third edges of the C-shaped die cut.
Typically the web is in the form of a cut sheet, each of the plies having end edges substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the side edges. The C-shaped die cut first and second edges are adjacent, but do not intersect, the first side edge of the second ply, so that the web quickly feeds in a printer, yet allows ready removal of the price tags (with associated second ply portion) from the web.
The first edge of the first ply is typically between the first edge of the second ply and the second edge of the first ply, a tab portion defined by the second ply adjacent the price tags. Price indicia may be imaged on the first face of each of the price tags of the first ply, and shipping indicia may be imaged on the shipping label portion of the first ply first face. Three shipping-price tag labels may be provided in each sheet, and the first ply edges may be shorter than the corresponding second ply edges.
Typically the price tags comprise less than half of the first ply, and substantially the entire face of the first ply is covered with pressure sensitive adhesive. The grid typically comprises at least two columns and at least two rows.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a package containing a plurality of substantially identical articles is provided, comprising: A cardboard box having an exterior surface. A combination shipping-price tag label having a shipping portion and a price tag portion. The shipping portion having a top surface with shipping indicia thereon, and a bottom surface substantially completely covered with pressure sensitive adhesive, the adhesive operatively engaging the cardboard box exterior surface. The price tag portion having a perimeter, and comprising a plurality of individual price tags disposed in at least one row or column, and having a top surface with price-receiving indicia thereon for receipt of a price corresponding to a price of articles within the package, and a bottom surface with pressure sensitive adhesive thereon. The price tag portion being bounded around the majority (e.g. surrounded around approximately 270.degree.) of the perimeter thereof by the shipping portion, and the price tag portion top surface substantially flush with the shipping label portion top surface. And, a release sheet disposed between the price tag portion bottom surface and the cardboard box exterior surface.
Tab means are also typically provided for facilitating ready grasping of the price tag portion of the label on the package. Also perforation means are typically provided for facilitating ready separation thereof from the surrounding shipping portion so that the plurality of price tags, backed by a release sheet, may be readily detached from the package.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple, effective, easy to utilize shipping-price tag label, label web, and package combined with the label. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the derailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.